The Latest

Welcome to Teens N' Talk! I'm Tyrique, and here you'll find a little bit of everything on issues important to all us youth... from interviews and politics, to dating do's and don'ts and word on the street!

Do You Know Who Started :) PINK SHIRT DAY?

Teens Now Talk magazine’s youth reporter Kyheem remembers his opportunity to sit down and chat with Travis Price, one of the two original Pink Shirt Day founders.

Here is how one moment in 2007 changed the world.

Travis Price started Pink Shirt Day at the age of 17 while in grade 12 and after witnessing a grade 9 student being bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.

‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Travis, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out the message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag.

As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.”

Their campaign led to the second Thursday in September’s school year being designated Stand Up Against Bullying Day in Nova Scotia.

Why did you choose to get involved in politics?

Travis: I want to continue trying to make a difference in the legislature for children and families who have been the target of bullying.

What is PinkDay.ca?

Travis: With PinkDay.ca we sell shirts and are able to give some money back to anti-bullying organizations, along with other groups to put funding towards their programs so we can all come together and help fix the issue. We also go to schools and do presentations and tell kids my story to encourage them to stand up against bullying. We also want to encourage people to wear pink to school or work.

Has anyone bullied you about Pink Shirt Day?

Travis: Absolutely. Not so much about Pink Shirt Day, but the reason I co-founded this is that I myself was bullied. And it was something that affected me for a long time, so now I am able to stand up for others and make a difference for other people, and that’s what means the most to me. You know, kids are asking for help and it’s time that someone actually stands up and helps them.

Has anyone inspired you about Pink Shirt Day?

Travis: For me, growing up, I looked at a lot of political figures that I saw as having a lot of power that could actually do something: the John Hamms and the Bill Caseys of the world that actually did their jobs as politicians and made a difference. Growing up, I was like most kids. I saw hockey starters and baseball players that tried to make a difference with their lives, and people like Wayne Gretzky that have helped with this cause before are people that I turn to.

What are you plans for Pink Shirt Day?

To make it international and help as many as possible.

It was a pleasure to meet, interview and be empowered by Travis in 2013 says Kyheem. Its awesome his moment is still empowering us youth of today. Great Work Travis!